Thriving, Joy-filled in Persecutions and Affliction for the Gospel
The wicked hated Jesus because He testified of their evil.
“The world cannot hate you; but me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” John 7:7
This is why the “MANY false prophets” today refuse to preach on what God says is sin (Matthew 24:11; 1 John 4:1).
HAVE you noticed – throughout Scripture and today – when unrepentant rebels are rebuked by sound doctrine, instead of repenting, they take up arms against the mere messengers? (John 3:19-21; 7:7) Jesus says to “Rejoice.” (Matthew 5:10-12)
ANY person who walks with Jesus will have their Alexander the Coppersmiths. You will suffer affliction, attack, slander, persecution as was the case with Paul being assailed by Alexander the Coppersmith. Your Judas type enemies, claiming to be your friend, will also attempt to be your nemesis and yet will only dig their own ditch that God will throw them into (Psalms 7:14-16; 9:14-16).
Check this out – something Paul endured and wrote for us to know and navigate by:
“At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. 17 Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me; that by me the preaching might be fully known, and that all the Gentiles might hear: and I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion. 18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” 2 Timothy 4:16-18
Battle scars are a reality for the righteous who are bold as a lion, who are violently taking it by force as they are pressing into Christ’s kingdom (Matthew 11:12; Luke 16:16).
Being attacked by the lost and by false converts only confirms you are a child of God. That right there should be enough to set our feet a dancing!
Check out what happened when Christ’s apostles were persecuted:
“And to him they agreed: and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name. 42 And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach.” Acts 5:40-42
Jesus promised that His people would be persecuted for His sake and warned that if we aren’t being persecuted, it is because we are not His (Luke 6:26).
“Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. 23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets. 24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. 25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. 26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.” Luke 6:22-26
“Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12
“Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: 13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. 14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.” 1 Peter 4:12-14
Our LORD told us that as we are faithful in what we currently have, He will make us ruler over more (Matthew 25).
Could it be that as you “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ”, that like David, you are going to be ratcheted upward to take out the bear, then the lion, then the goliath? (2 Timothy 2:3) See 1 Samuel 17.
YOUR PRAYER: Holy LORD, my Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, please bless this Your disciple with the correct disposition concerning all things, especially persecutions and afflictions. Let Your children be filled with Your joy all the days of theirs lives on this earth – as we look for Your soon return LORD Jesus and our eternal joy and abode with Thee in the New Jerusalem. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Read Psalms. | More on persecution here.
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Abiding
7 Ways to Forgive [podcast]

PRAY
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” Matthew 5:44
LOVE AND DO GOOD TO THE OFFENDER
“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.” Romans 12:9
REFUSE TO SPEAK EVIL OF THE OFFENDER
“Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not.” Romans 12:14
RELEASE THEM FROM YOUR PUNISHMENT
“Recompense (repay) to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. 19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Romans 12:17-19
DON’T CELEBRATE THEIR FAILURES
“Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth: 18 Lest the LORD see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.” Proverbs 24:17-18
TREAT THEM THE WAY YOU WANT TO BE TREATED
“And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.” Luke 6:31
STOP DWELLING ON THE PAST
“Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old.” Isaiah 43:18
The blessedness of being merciful to others:
“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7
The only way to prevent holding a grudge, is to simply forgive them – as God freely forgave you through the infinite price Christ paid for your sins on the cross, of which you don’t deserve (Psalms 103:10).
“Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. 8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. 9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.” James 5:7-9
“And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice: 32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.” Ephesians 4:30-32
Being kind and forgiving towards others becomes simple as we look in the mirror and declare with Paul the apostle: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing.” (Romans 7:18)
“He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.” Psalms 103:10
Forgiveness becomes easy when we look in the mirror to see the person (us, me) who needs God’s mercy more than any other person alive on the earth! Memorize Ephesians 4:32 now. KJB
“For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.” James 1:20
“Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.” Colossians 3:12-14
Forgiveness Quotes
Forgiveness is ultra important to God. If you don’t forgive all others, you are not forgiven of your own sin and are as sure for hell as if you were already there. If you refuse to forgive you damn your own soul, non-negotiably. irrevocably.
“Forgiveness does not mean what happened is okay. It means not letting what happened take any more of your happiness.” Michelle Maros
“There is no love without forgiveness, and there is no forgiveness without love.” Bryant McGill
“Love is an act of endless forgiveness. Forgiveness is me giving up my right to hurt you for hurting me. Forgiveness is the final act of love.” Reinhold Niebuhr
“Holding a grudge doesn’t make you strong; it makes you bitter. Forgiving doesn’t make you weak; it sets you free.” unknown
Forgiveness | Fresh Start with God | Making Peace with God


Abiding
Christ’s Non-Negotiable Original Gospel Imperative [podcast]

“He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.” Matthew 12:30
It’s one thing to claim we are with Christ and He with us, and it’s another thing to prove we are with the Savior by adhering to His words. Jesus told us that those who are “of God” hear and obey His words (John 8:47).
If one chooses not to love Jesus enough to obey His stated terms, such a man has rejected the Son of God for the love of sinful self and will perish in his own corruption (Matthew 22:37-40; Luke 9:23-24; 14:33; 17:33; John 14:15; 1 John 2:3-6, etc.).
“Repentance is to TAKE SIDES with God against yourself. It is a CHANGE of attitude toward SELF, toward SIN, toward GOD, toward CHRIST that is so REAL that it RESULTS in a changed life. It is raising the WHITE FLAG in SURRENDER to God and turning to Christ as your only LORD and Savior. Repentance is NOT a work … works are the fruit of repentance (Ephesians 2:8-10).” Trent Austin
Only the counterfeit will get upset at this Gospel message because such a rebel wants nothing to do with taking personal responsibility for his sin, the denial of self, the crucified life to be set apart, holy, and having the Savior reign!
Notice how Jesus knits the denial of self, the daily cross, the putting off the deeds of the body, of keeping under the body (the iniquitous fallen nature) with the destiny of the eternal soul.
“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. 25 For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” Luke 9:23-25
Jesus made it clear here that the cross is an original Gospel essential, an absolute imperative to eternal glory with Him!
Each of us proves exactly who we love the most by the way we are living! – God or self!
Everything that is happening in your life now is being allowed by God in order to get you down low into the death and burial with Christ. Read 2 Corinthians 4.
“But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus’ sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.” 2 Corinthians 4:7-12
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Abiding
What is our Highest Priority as we see Christ’s Return Nearing? [podcast]

What’s most important?
How do we want Christ to find us when He splits the eastern sky?
“And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62
“Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.” Hebrews 10:38
“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:58
“And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” Luke 2:49
“And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Matthew 24:14
“Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. 36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together. 37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. 38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour: other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.” John 4:35-38
In light of the end time events transpiring before our eyes we are keeping our:
- Eyes to Jesus (Luke 21:28; Colossians 3:1-4; Hebrews 12:1-3).
- Hand to the plough of His work (Luke 9:62).
“…Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-13
“All we can do is not look left or right but keep our eyes on Jesus. He’s coming soon! This is becoming a time when people’s hearts will fail them for fear! Luke 21:26. Because our world is definitely being shaken. Our foundation needs to be built on Christ, not sinking sand (Matthew 7:24-27). Or we will fall. Building our house means not just hearing God’s Word but obeying Him. Build your life on the Word of God! Then when these things come to pass you will not fall.” Karen Cochran
“The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.” Revelation 11:15
Here’s one of the responses given to this man in that conversation:
“Nothing of this offends me. Just iron sharpening iron concerning sound doctrine (Titus 2:1). ‘But speak thou the things which become sound doctrine’ (Titus 2:1). 2 Peter 1:3-4 informs us that ‘ALL things that pertain unto life and godliness’ are found in God’s Word, in His ‘exceeding great and precious promises.’ Why then do we resort to using extra biblical symbolism, especially that which is out of a known pagan, blasphemous religion? Certainly the Holy Spirit is not behind such. If we are truly in Christ’s service, we should use Christ’s Word and not something contrary to it (Colossians 3:16; 2 Timothy 3:15-17). Do we not mislead when we do such?
There is no such thing as a Christian psychologist. Such must be denounced, and will be, unless we are still walking in the flesh and not the Spirit. Jesus taught against using titles (Matthew 23:8-12). Nothing Christian about Psychology. Title Touters safeguardyoursoul.com
Paul denounced….
“For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. 4 Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: 5 circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; 6 concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. 7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ, 9 and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith: 10 that I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death; 11 if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” Philippians 3:3-11
Salvation, ministry, is all about Jesus Christ, not us.
“That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:29-31
“And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5 That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 2:1-5
Asking the LORD to strip you and build you from the ground up – HIS way and no other. Ask Him to remove every trace, every iota of flesh, of deceit, of evil (2 Corinthians 7:1).
“See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant.” Jeremiah 1:10
“Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you.” Hosea 10:12
WHO continues to get stronger and stronger? – “from strength to strength” ….
“They go from strength to strength, every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.’ Psalms 84:7
Those who appear, go before the LORD in private prayer will be increased in divine power!
The Return of Jesus | Lukewarm is Hell Bound | Fresh Start with God | What Church is Jesus Coming Back for? [podcast]
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